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The woman handed the taxi driver some bills, and, feeling particularly generous, she told him to keep the change.
Her stomach did nervous flip-flops, a million butterflies seemingly inside as she exited the cab and began walking up to the hotel. She swallowed hard as she entered through the automatic door, glancing around almost fearfully for any signs of people she knew. It was after two AM, so she knew that some of her one-time coworkers and friends were probably up and out, as quite a few were into the bar and club scenes.
Not spotting anyone familiar, the young woman approached the front desk, the butterflies inside of her even more fierce.
"Need a room, miss?" the man behind the counter asked, offering her a friendly smile.
She bit her lip. She was here to surprise him, so no, she didn't need or want a room of her own.
"No...actually, I'm here to surprise my boyfriend - he should be checked in as Felix Unger, along with Oscar Madison as his roommate." She knew that Adam and Jay had always favored the characters from The Odd Couple as their check-in names. Adam, although not quite a neat-freak, and certainly nowhere in the vein of one, was always Felix - while his best friend, Jay Reso, who, although nowhere near the caliber of slob, was always Oscar. That was just the way it had always been.
"Well, I have a Felix Unger and an Oscar Madison registered here, but they're in separate rooms," the man said. "Which one did you say is your boyfriend?"
"Felix..."
A few minutes later, the woman headed up to the third floor, a keycard in hand. She knew he'd be there - instinctively, she knew. Before she'd left, the two of them would hang out after RAW, SmackDown, house shows or pay-per-views, but not all night. So, he had to be there.
She walked down the hallway of the proper floor, taking note of the number on each door she passed until she reached 323...
This was it. He was inside, behind this very door. She held the keycard in both hands before her, as though it were some sort of magical talisman. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast inside her chest, she thought it might beat its way out.
The woman steeled herself, mustering all the courage she could summon and stepped closer to the door. Quickly, she swiped the card through the door, her breath now catching in her throat as the little green light signaling the door was unlocked suddenly shone. She pushed the door open slowly, tentatively, holding her breath as she entered the room.
It was nearly pitch black to her eyes, as they hadn't yet gotten used to this darkness. But with the door closed, in moments, she was better able to see. And then she realized something...
The window in the room was large and overlooked the bed. Moonlight from the full moon spilled into the room, filtering onto the bed - onto the man lying asleep in it...
Oh, God... There he was - she could see his face clearly, thanks to the moonlight. There were a couple of slitted shadows cast over him, but she could see him. He was deeply, soundly asleep, his lips slightly parted as he breathed deep and regularly, his long blond hair spilling partly over his face as he lay partially on his right side.
The woman felt something nearly break inside of her as she continued to study him. He looked so very angelic, and after a few more seconds, she realized he was dreaming, as she detected a slight movement beneath his closed eyelids.
She couldn't help but wonder if she was anywhere within his dream...
And then, almost as though trying to respond to the question in her mind, he let out a soft moan in his sleep.
The woman bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. It was too overwhelming, getting to see him again - being this physically close to him. She dropped her bag to the floor silently, rushing over to the bed - to him.
In a flash, she was on the bed, on him, and kissing his face, seeking the blond man's lips hungrily. God, how long she'd waited for this - eight long, cruel months.
"What...?" Adam cried as he awoke suddenly. "What the hell...?" He realized that someone was on top of him, trying to kiss him, which made him furious since he figured it had to be some horny ring rat...
He reached over the nightstand for the switch on the lamp he knew was there, setting the room alight.
The woman suddenly pulled back almost violently, as though ashamed. He couldn't see her face, as her head was bowed and slightly turned away. She had long, jet-black hair, but somehow, there seemed to be something familiar about her.
"Who are you?" he demanded, and the woman scooted further away on the bed. After a beat, she started to get up, but he reached out and grasped her wrist, preventing her escape./font>
"Who are you?"
The woman turned her face toward him, her eyes gazing directly into his, and he felt as though his heart stopped for a few seconds. He knew those eyes - they were hazel, and filled with depth of character and intensity - full of fire.
"Oh, God..." Adam breathed, sitting up straight in the bed as he stared at her intently. He released her wrist and reached up to her hair, pulling on the raven strands - a wig, just as he'd thought. And beneath, her hair was just as beautiful a shade of red as it had been eight months earlier - and the entire time he'd ever known her...
"Amy...?"